Display cabinet for stores and the like



April 7, 1953 s. zUss DISPLAY CABINET FOR STORES AND THE LIKE FiledApril 17. 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR 511mm 'Zuss BY 5m AMI/WW April7, 1953 k s. zUss DISPLAY CABINET FOR STORES AND THE LIKE 3 Sheets-Sheet3 Filed April 17, 1950 57 INVENTOR. bIDNEY ZUss Patented Apr. 7, 1953 1OFFICE DISPLAYCABINET son STORES AND THE LIKE Sidney Z us's, Brooklyn,Y;

Application April 17, 1950, Serial No. 156,397

'l fil'aim. (01. 312-201) This invention relates to new and useful im- 1rovements in display cabinets for stores and the like.

One-object of the invention is the provision of a display cabinetincluding a cabinet member adapted normally to occupy the waste space atthe top of the display cabinet which is too high for the display ofitems of merchandise in the ordinary maner and too high to be reachedconveniently to remove such merchandise, said cabinet member beingslidable down the face of the display cabinet to a more convenientheight.

Another object of the invention is the provision in the cabinet memberof novel shelf means which serve to display items thereon even when thecabinet member is in its uppermost position and which serve also to holdsaid items securely in place as the cabinet member is raised andlowered. I I II Still another object of the invention isthe provision ofmeans for easing the task of raising and lowering the cabinet member andmeans for guiding the latters movements. I

In one form of the invention, it is proposed to use a wei ght and pulleyarrangement while in a modification of the present invention it isproposed to use a spring loaded means for easing the task of raising andlowering the cabinet member. I I I I I I in connection with that form ofthe invention employing the spring loaded means for easing the task ofraising and lowering the cabinet member, it is proposedto provide a lockmeans which will retain the cabinet member in a raised position andwhich will also serve to retain the cabinet member in a lowered positionto allow easy loading of the cabinet member while in its loweredposition without danger of the cabinet member being accidentally raisedby the spring loaded means.

It is a further object of the present invention to construct displaycabinets which are simple and durable and which can be manufactured andsold at a reasonable cost.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects, andadvantages thereof, reference will be hadto the following descriptionand accompanying drawings; andto the appended claims in which thevariousnovel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:I

Fig. l is a perspective view of the display cab- 7 ma tithe invention.

Fig. '2 is a side seventh of th aispis abmet with the sliding cabinetmember in its lowermost position. I

Fig. 3 is a sectional View on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4; is a sectional view on line 44 of Fig.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of means shown alsoin Figs. 3 and 4.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view on line 6- 6 of Fig. 1. I I I Fig.';7 is a sectional view on line 1! of 6.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of means shown in Figs. 6 and '7. I I IFig. 9 is a vertical section-a1 view of the display cabinet constructedin accordance with a modification of the present invention. I I

Fig. 10 is a front elevational view of the top portion of the cabinetshown in Fig. 9 with portions thereof broken away to reveal interiorconstructions. I I I I i Fig. 11 is an enlarged partial horizontalsectional view taken on the line I lll of Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is an enlarged front elevational view of the lock means used inthe form of the invention shown in Figs. 9 to 11. r I r I The displaycabinet, according to the first form of the present inventionillustrated in Figs. 1 tot, includes a main cabinet body having a lowercab inet portion H having wooden sliding doors [2 of the usualconstruction which slide in tracks 13.

i The side walls ll of the cabinet extend above the portion 1 I at adecreased width, front to back so that above the lower cabinet portion ll a counter shelf I5 is provided. Beginning at the said counter shelfand extending upward as far as is practical with regard to displayingitems of merchandise therein and conveniently removing said items is acentral or upper cabinet portion [6 having a front wall 19 and glassdoors I! sliding in tracks l8 in the usual manner, said portion I6 beingseparated from portion l I by a rearward extension of shelf [5. As bestseen in Fig. 3, cabmet It is provided with a plurality ofshelves 20which are supported in any suitable manner, such as by screws passedthrough the side walls I4 of the cabinet. The cabinet H] is of courseprovided also with a rear wall 2 I, and also with a top piece 22, which,however, is located a considerable distance above the cabinet portion itwhich is roofed by a partition 23. For a purpose to be explainedhereinafter the cabinet portions H and 15 do not extend all the way backto the rear wall 2! but are provided with a separate rearwall Z4 spaceda -short distance forward of the over-all rear wall 21. I I I Theconstruction is such that the cabinet extends a considerable distanceabove portion l6;

which distance in the usual cabinet is a worthless part of the cabinetdue to its extreme height. According to the invention the cabinetportion I6 is made only as high as is practical and the space thereabovemade use of in the following manner:

A box-like cabinet member 25 is slidably mounted on the front face ofcabinet l6 and is located normally in front of the cabinet space abovethe cabinet portion l6 as shown in Fig. l, but can be pulled downward bymeans of a handle 26 to the position shown in Fig. 2 where its contentsare easily accessible.

Cabinet member 25 comprises a rear wall 21 secured to top and bottomwalls 28 and 36, all of said walls also being secured to side walls 3|.Glass doors 32 sliding in tracks 33 also are provided.

Referring particularly to Figs. 3 and 4, cabinet member 25 is providedwith a plurality of shelves 34 each tilted downward toward the glassdoors 3 2 and provided with a lip 35 of transparent material such asglass. Thus, even though the cabinet member 25 is located at asubstantial height above eye level, items of merchandise placed on theinclined shelves 34 are clearly visible through the lips 35. Preferablythe shelves 34 are mounted in slots 36 in the side walls 3| during theassembly of the cabinet, and the lips 35 are secured to the edges of theshelves by screws 31. It is. also to be noted that articles placed onthe shelves 34 are held firmly in place during the up and down movementsof cabinet 25 by the lips 35.

In order to facilitate raising and lowering the cabinet 25 the followingcounterweight system is provided:

A bar 38, is secured to the inner face of each of the side walls M ofcabinet near its upper end and extends forward out of the cabinetthrough a slot All in the front wall [9 thereof, see Figs. 2, 3 and 5.The rear and top walls 2'! and 28, respectively, of cabinet 25 areslotted as at 4| to receive the bar 38 when said cabinet is in its upperposition. Mounted on each bar 38 near its ends are a pair of pulleys 42over which pass a rope, cable or, preferably, a chain 43. One end ofeach chain 43 passes through a vertical hole 44 in a block 45 secured tothe side wall 3| of cabinet member 25 and is secured in any suitablemanner to the under side of said block. The other end of each chain issecured to a counterweight 36 which moves up and down in the spacebetween the rear wall 2| of cabinet I6 and the rear wall 24 of thecabinet portions H and H5.

The construction is such that the weight 46 balances the weight ofcabinet member 25 and facilitates the moving up and down of the latter,and will hold the latter in the upper position shown in Figs. 1 and 3 orallow the same to remain in the lower position of Fig. 2. The blocks 45serve not only as anchors for the chains 43 but also by contacting thebars 38, limit the upward movement of the cabinet member 25.

It is appreciated that suitable lock means can be provided for securingthe cabinet member 25 in either a raised position or in a loweredposition.

In order to guide cabinet member 25 in its vertical movements thefollowing means are provided:

' Secured to the front wall i9 of the portion of cabinet I6 abovecounter shelf are a pair of vertical slideways or tracks 41, see Figs.1, 6 and 7, one adjacent either latera e ge Oi the cabinet. Eachslideway 41 comprises arectangular sheet metal tube having alongitudinal slit 48 in the lateral center of its forward wall. Securedto the rear wall 21 oi cabinet member 25 in alignment with each slidewayi! are a pair of vertically spaced bearing brackets 56 each havingjournalled therein a roller bearing 5| which rides up and down in theslideway in contact with the front or rear wall thereof. In Fig. 6 theupper roller 5| contacts the front wall of the slideway and the lowerroller the rear wall. In this manner the cabinet member is rigidlyguided in its up and down movements yet is easily moved due to therolling action of the bearings 5|.

Referring particularly to Figs. 6, 7 and 8, each bracket 50 which issubstantially H-shape in cross-section, is formed of two castingssecured together and each comprising a face plate 52 secured by screwsto the rear wall 21 of cabinet member 25, and a connecting web 53 whichpasses through the slit 46 in the slideway 51 and is extended laterallyto form half of a sort of journal box 54 for the roller bearing 5|. Thetwo halves of the journal box are provided with interlocking end walls55, the adjacent edges of which are provided, one with a cutout 56 andthe other with a prong or peg 5'! adapted to said cutout. A bolt 58passes through the web 53 of one half of the bracket and is threadedinto the other half and serves to secure the two halves together. Theadjacent faces of the journal box are finished cylindrically and embracethe bearing 5| for some distance on either side of its vertical axis,the horizontal axis of the roller, however, extending laterally beyondthe box for cooperation with the front or the rear wall of the slideway.

In order that the lower one of the rollers 5| in Fig. 6 will ride on therear wall of slideway 47, a thin shim 60 is placed between the bearingbracket 50 and the wall 21 to which it is secured.

In the modification of the present invention illustrated in Figs. 9 to10, there is a main cabinet body 50 having spaced side walls 5| and arear wall 52 mounted between the side walls. From Fig. 9 it will benoted that the bottom edges 5|? of the side walls 5| are inclinedslightly rearward and upward to tilt the cabinet 56 slightly rearwardagainst a building wall against which it is positioned. Mounted betweenthe side walls 5| there is a bottom wall 53, located slightly above thebottom edges 5P and a top wall 54, located a considerable distance belowthe top edges of the side walls 5|. Also mounted between the side walls5|, substantially midway between the bottom wall 53 and the top wall 5there is a partition 55 which divides the interior of the cabinet 50into a lower cabinet portion 56 and an upper cabinet portion 57.

Mounted within the lower cabinet portion 56 there are shelves 58 and thefront of that cabinet portion is closed by sliding doors 59 of wood orother opaque material. The top and bottom edges of the doors 59 areslidably supported in track members 60 mounted on the adjacent faces ofthe bottom wall 53 and the partition 55 ad jacent the front edgesthereof. Similarly, there is mounted within the upper cabinet portion 51superimposed shelves 6| supported on the back wall 52 by angle braces62.

The front edge of each of the shelves 6| is provided with a transparentlip 63. The front of the upper cabinet portion 51 is closed byslidacetone ins doors 6-4 of glass or other transparent material. Thetopandhottom edges of the doors '6! are slidably received in track members65 'moimtedon ftheadliacent faces of the top wall "'54 and the,partition 55 adjacent the front thereof.

As described (in connection with the first form of the presentinvention,the top of the top cabinet portion 151 is only as high as a person ofavemgeheight .canreach while standing on the floor on which the cabinet'58 is resting. Located above the top cabinet portion 5'] and betweenthe Side walls 5| land-to the front thereof, there is a separate cabinetmember 66. The cabinet member .616 is formed of Laback wall'ii'i and abottom "wall 68 mounted between spaced "side walls169. The top of thecabinet member '66 is closed by atop wall 16 extended between the sidewalls .69 a slight distancebelow the top edges thereof. Within thecabinet member 66, there are provided rearwardly' and upwardly inclinedcabinet member "66 upon the front edges of the side walls 51 of thecabinet 59 so that the cabinet member can be moved vertically upward anddownward to permit access to be had to the interior of that cabinetmember. The slidable mounting means comprises channel-shaped trackmembers 15., see particularly Fig. 111, secured to the front edges ofthe side walls 5!, above the upper cabinet portion 57, by spaced screwsi6, see also Fig. 10. Secured tothe back wall .6! of the cabinet member66,there are complementary track members '11 formed with T-shaped heads18 slidably received in the channel-shaped track members 15. Thecomplementary track members 11 are secured to the back wall 61 by spacedscrews 19. Although no bearings are shown in connection with the trackmembers 75 and 11 it is appreciated that suitable roller bearings couldbe provided between the adjacent faces thereof for easing the slidingmovements of the track members 11 in the track members 15 withoutdeparting from the scope of the present invention. The track members arelocated behind the cabinet member 66, when in its raised position, to behidden thereby and serve to guide the cabinet member 66 in its slidingmovements relative to the cabinet body 56. Mounted on the bottom face ofthe bottom wall 68 of the cabinet member 66 there is a suitablechrome-plated handle 89 by which a grip can be had on the cabinet member66 for sliding it downward.

Means is provided for holding the cabinet member 66 in the raisedposition shown in Figs. 9 and and is characterized by a pair ofhorizontal braces 8 l. Those braces 8| have their rear ends mounted onthe inside faces of the top ends of the side walls 51 of the cabinet 59by spaced screws 82, see Fig. 9. The front ends of the braces 8| areprojected beyond the front edges of the side walls 5| over the top ofthe cabinet member 66.

Mounted on the top faces of the projected front ends of the braces 8|there are hollow casings 83 which enclose drums, not shown, which arespring urgedlin one direction. 'Engagedaboutthe drums within the casings83., there are flexible lengths of steel wire or'the like 134. Specificdetails or the interior or the casing 83 are not being illustrated assuch devices are generally known by those skilled in the .art and suchdetails formho part of the present invention beyond retaining thecabinet member 66 in its raised position.

The free ends ofthesteel'wires'6'4 are projected downward from theinteriors of the casings :83 and through holes .85 formed "in "the freefront ends of the braces 81,, see Fig. "9. After passing throughthose'hol'es '85, the free ends of the'steel wires 16d are attached toblocks '86 which are mounted ionthein'si'deffaces of the side walls 69of the cabinet memb'er 6.6. The spring urged drums within the casings"83 can be designed to meet the weight of different loadswhich might beplaced in the cabinet members 36 when the cabinets are employed indi'fiere'nt types of businesses. Thus, in a lingerie shop a pull on thesteel wires 3'4 of from cam ipounds will be suiiicient to retain thecabinet member 66 in a raised position, but in a cigar store a pull ofto pounds would be 'suflicient "while a pull of from so to es poundswould be required in a drug store.

The top portions of the main cabmet 5n and the cabinet member '66 areroofed over by a cornice 81 which encloses 'all of the top support ingmechanism hiding the same from view. The cornice S1 is "formed of sheetmetal and is secured'to the outside faces of the side walls 5| of themain cabinet 56 "by means of screws 88., see Fig. 9.

Provided in connection with the cabinet member fit there is a lock meansfor securing the cabinet member in either a lowered or a raisedposition. That lock means comprises a vertically arranged latch bar 89which is pivotally supported intermediate of its ends upon the back faceof the back wall 61 of the cabinet member 66, upon a pivot pin 90.Engaged about the pivot pin 96 there is a spring 9| which has one end 9Pbent to engage one side of the latch bar 69 and its other end secured tothe back wall 61 by several staples 92. The staples are located asuflicient distance from the latch bar 89 so as not to interfere withpivoting thereof and the spring 9| exerts a force turning the latch baragainst a short stop pin 93 which projects rearward from the rear faceof the rear wall 61. The lower end of the latch bar 89 is projectedbeyond the bottom of the cabinet member 66 and is provided with a handle94 by which the latch bar can be turned against the action of the spring9| away from the stop pin.93.

Projecting forwardly from the upper track. member of the upper cabinetportion 51 of the cabinet 59 there are short bolt members 95 and 96. Thebolt members 95 and 96 are located on opposite sides of the latch bar89, as shown in Fig. 12. One side of the latch bar 89, adjacent thebottom end thereof, is formed with a laterally projecting keeper element91 having a flat bot tom face which rests on the flat top face of thebolt member 95, when the cabinet member 66 is in its raised position,for holding the same raised. When the handle 94, as viewed in Fig. 12-,is moved to the right to pivot the latch bar 89 against the action ofthe spring 9|, the keeper element 91 will be disengaged from the topface of the bolt member 95 and the cabinet member 66 will be freed to bemoved to its lowered position.

The top face of the keeper element 9! and the bottom face of the boltmember 95 are correspondingly rounded so that on upward movement of thecabinet member 66 the keeper element 97 will idle past the bolt member95.

Likewise, the other side of the latch bar 89 at the top end thereof haslaterally projecting from the side thereof a keeper element 98. Thebottom face of the keeper element 98 and its respective bolt member 96are complementarily rounded, so that when the cabinet member 66 is beingpulled down to its lowered position, the keeper element 98 will rideover and idle past the bolt member 96. However, the top face of thekeeper element 98 is flat and when the cabinet member 66 reaches itsfully lowered position that flat top face will be snapped, by the actionof the spring 9!, beneath the flat bottom face of the bolt member 96securing the cabinet member 66 in its lowered position.

Thus, it will be apparent that a suitable latch means has been providedwhich will act to secure the cabinet member 66 in a raised positionagainst accidental lowering until such time as the keeper element 91 isdisengaged from the bolt member 95 or in a lowered position againstaccidental raising until such time as the keeper element 98 isdisengaged from the bolt member 96.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of myinvention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to theprecise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to allchanges and modifications coming within the scope of the invention asdefined in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by United States Letters Patent is:

In a display cabinet, the combination which comprises a housing having abase with vertically disposed end walls, a back and a top, horizontallydisposed vertically spaced shelves extended from a 8 the back andbetween the end walls of the housing, a horizontally disposed partitionpositioned above the uppermost of said shelves and spaced downwardlyfrom the upper end of said housing, closures positioned in the front ofsaid cabinet, tracks positioned on the forward edges of each of the endwalls of the housing, each of said tracks being channel-shape in crosssection having a back with side walls and with flanges extended inwardlyfrom the edges of the side walls providing vertically disposed slots inthe faces of the tracks, horizontally disposed bars positioned againstthe inner surfaces of the end walls of the housing, positioned in theupper end of the housing and extended therefrom, a box-like casinghaving a back, bottom, top, end walls, a closure, and shelves positionedin front of the housing, H-shape brackets having spaced parallel flangesconnected with webs positioned with one of the flanges thereof securedto the back of the casing and with the other of said flanges in saidtracks, pulleys journaled on the ends of said horizontally disposedbars, a counterweight positioned in said housing, cables trained overthe pulleys with one of the ends thereof connected to said casing andthe other of said ends connected to the counterweight, and a closure onthe front of said boxlike casing.

SIDNEY ZUSS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the flle ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 108,930 Murdock Nov. 1, 1870373,753 Bead Nov. 22, 1887 527,629 Traut Oct. 16, 1894 575,747 WhitneyJan. 26, 1897 617,965 Lippincott Jan. 17, 1899 912,921 Ucker Feb. 16,1909

